United Kingdom

Founded: 1976 NAIC: 512110 Motion Picture and Video Production; 512191 Teleproduction and Other Postproduction…

Founded: 1862 Employees: 7,364 Sales: £510.55 million ($732.49 million) Stock Exchanges: London Ticker Symbol:…

Established: 1961 Employees: 350 Operating Revenues: £20.9 million (2001-2002) NAIC: 813311 Human Rights…

Founded: Mid-1800s as British Vitamin Products Company Sales: £600 million ($1.1 billion) (2004) NAIC: 312111 Soft…

Founded: 1912 as The British-Borneo Petroleum Syndicate Employees: 131 Sales: £133 million (1999) Stock Exchanges:…

Founded: 1856 Employees: 2,500 Sales: £230 million ($366.1 million) (2000) NAIC: 31523 Women's and Girls' Cut and Sew…

Founded: 1891 as Carborundum Company Employees: 838 Sales: £53 million ($96.9 million) (2003) Stock Exchanges:…

Founded: 1802 as Anthony Brown Employees: 3,000 Sales: $1 billion (2000 est.) NAIC: 54111 Offices of Lawyers Clifford…

Founded: 1778 as Flint & Clark Employees: 27,187 Sales: £1.36 billion (US$2.29 billion) (1998) Stock Exchanges:…

Founded: 1974 Employees: 1,157 Sales: £174.4 million (US$270.9 million) Stock Exchanges: London SICs: 2741…

Founded: 1799 Employees: 6,431 Sales: £292.6 million ($472.7 million) (1998) Stock Exchanges: London Ticker Symbol:…

Founded: 1921 Employees: 13,207 Sales: £1.71 billion ($2.74 billion) (2003) Stock Exchanges: London Ticker Symbol:…

Joint Subsidiary: Incorporated: 1968 Employees: 26,000 Sales: £1.87 billion (US$3.58 billion) ICL (International…

Founded: 1971 Employees: 11,500 Sales: $1 billion (2002 est.) NAIC: 811112 Automotive Exhaust System Repair Kwik-Fit…

Founded: 1960 Employees: 400 NAIC: 335999 All Other Miscellaneous Electrical Marshall Amplification plc manufactures…

Founded: 1851 Employees: 1,587 Sales: £141.3 million ($227 million) (2001) Stock Exchanges: London Ticker Symbol:…

Mulberry Group PLC bases the high-end accessories and select men's and women's apparel that it designs, makes, and…

Total Assets: £37 billion (2003) Stock Exchanges: Johannesburg London Frankfurt Ticker Symbol: OML.L NAIC: 522110…

Founded: 1936 Employees: 6,969 Sales: £889.6 million (US$1.3 billion) Stock Exchanges: London SICs: 5139 Footwear; 5136…

Established: 1996 as a privatized company Employees: 11,776 (2001) Sales: £1.797 billion (2002) Stock Exchanges:…

Founded: 1965 Employees:8,000 Sales: $1.267 billion (1998) Stock Exchanges: New York Pacific London Ticker Symbol:…

Founded: 1991 as J.

1950s:Stoll and Moss groups combine to become Stoll-Moss Theatres Ltd.

Founded: 1762 Employees: 13,000 Revenues: £1.1 billion (US $1.8 billion) Stock Exchanges: London SICs: 5813 Drinking…

Founded: 1973 as Virgin Records Employees: 24,000 Sales: £3 billion (US$5 billion) (1999 est.) NAIC: 312111 Soft Drink…

Founded: 1956 as J.W.

The Bank of Scotland's long history reaches back to 1695 when, uniquely among Scottish banks, it was founded by an Act…

Shepherd Neame Limited has the distinction of being among the oldest British brewers as well as the 15th oldest…

Total Assets: £306 billion (US$480 billion) (2000) Stock Exchanges: London Ticker Symbol: RBOS NAIC: 522110 Commercial…

Formerly a renowned maker of fine papers, Whatman plc has consistently reinvented itself to meet the emerging needs of…

Operating Revenues: £109.95 million ($211.82 million) (2004) Stock Exchanges: London Ticker Symbol: RAT NAIC: 523120…

Founded in 1753, The British Museum is not only one of the world's oldest, but also one of the world's largest museums,…

Christie's International plc oversees the operations of one of the world's premier art auction houses.

Edinburgh, Scotland's Johnston Press plc has pressed itself into the ranks of the United Kingdom's top five regional…

Wilkinson Sword Ltd., formerly known as Schick-Wilkinson Sword in the United States, is the world's second-largest…

Her Majesty's Stationery Office, or HMSO, is an unusual type of company that, although owned and operated by the…

Revenues: $400 million (2004) NAIC: 453998 Auction Houses; 453920 Art Dealers; 454111 Electronic Shopping; 454112…

Total Assets: £7.22 billion ($10.38 billion) (2000) NAIC: 523110 Investment Banking and Securities Dealing United…

The Taylor & Francis Group plc is a fast-growing and leading publisher of scholarly journals, textbooks, and books.

Invensys PLC grew out of the merger in 1999 of Britain's Siebe PLC and the British manufacturing conglomerate BTR PLC.

Guardian Media Group plc (GMG) is an anomaly in the British media market.

The Macallan, made by The Macallan Distillers Ltd., is one of the world's top selling Scotch whiskey brands, typically…

C&J Clark International Ltd.

C&J Clark International Ltd.

Assets: £19.29 billion (US$31.14 billion) The Standard Life Assurance Company (the Standard), is the largest mutual…

Total Assets: £93.63 billion (1995) Stock Exchanges: London SICs: 6081 Branches & Agencies of Foreign Banks; 6282…

The Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P & O) began as a shipping company.

In 1995 Fisons plc was acquired by Pennsylvania-based Rhone-Poulenc Rorer, Inc., in turn wholly owned by France's…

The Economist Group Ltd.

While its larger U.K.

CEO Paris Maoyedi has transformed Jarvis plc from a tiny, money-losing construction firm in the early 1990s to one of…

Total Assets: £33.63 billion (1998) Stock Exchanges: London Ticker Symbol: WWH.L NAIC: 52211 Commercial Banking; 551111…

Total Assets: £156.7 billion (2001) Stock Exchanges: New York London Hong Kong Paris Frankfurt NAIC: 524113 Direct Life…

House of Fraser PLC bills itself as the United Kingdom's leading retailer of designer brands--the department store…

Total Assets: £52.2 billion ($87.7 billion) (2002) NAIC: 522292 Real Estate Credit; 522120 Savings…

Royal Doulton plc is one of the world's best-known fine china companies, designing and producing high-quality tableware…

Total Assets: £9.38 billion ($15 billion) (2002) Stock Exchanges: London Ticker Symbol: BLND NAIC: 531120 Lessors of…

Belleek Pottery Ltd.

Assets: £15.75 billion (US$25.42 billion) Stock Index: London Paris Commercial Union (CU) has been one of the leading…

Perhaps more than any other company, Stoddard International plc represents the glory as well as the devastation of the…

Co-operative Group (CWS) Ltd.

Yule Catto & Company plc is one of Europe's leading specialty chemicals groups.

Next plc designs, manufactures, and distributes clothing and home furnishing and accessory items to nearly 330 Next…

Once nearly synonymous with the Welsh coal mining industry, Powell Duffryn plc has transformed itself into a…

Exel plc was formed from the 2000 merger of Ocean Group plc and NFC plc.

Total Assets: £286.39 billion (US$471.69 billion) (1997) Stock Exchanges: London Hong Kong Ticker Symbol: HSBHY…

Total Assets: £236.5 billion (2001) Stock Exchanges:London New York Ticker Symbol: LLOY (London); LYG (New York) NAIC:…

Ticker Symbols: RTR; RTRSY NAIC: 514110 News Syndicates; 514191 On-Line Information Services; 523110 Investment Banking…

The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club (the AELTC) has overseen the Wimbledon Tennis Championships, the world's…

Total Assets:£27.3 billion (1995) SICs: 6411 Insurance Agents, Brokers & Service Perhaps the world's most famous…

Once known for its whaling fleet, Christian Salvesen Plc has recreated itself as a major European logistics company for…

Total Assets: £2.6 billion ($3.7 billion) Stock Exchanges: London Ticker Symbol: CBG NAIC: 523110 Investment Banking…

Manchester United Football Club plc has earned a reputation as England's most financially successful football team.

PZ Cussons plc is a leading manufacturer and distributor of a variety of products, especially soaps and other personal…

Reed Elsevier plc is the joint venture of London-based Reed International plc and Netherlands-based Elsevier N.V.

Buckinghamshire, England's Shanks Group plc is the United Kingdom's leading independent waste management company.

Watts of Lydney Group Ltd.

The Boots Company PLC is one of the leading retailers in the United Kingdom, in addition to being a major manufacturer…

PIC International Group PLC is the world's leading supplier of genetically improved breeding stock to the pig industry.

Rolls-Royce Group PLC is flying high in the 2000s.

Bettys & Taylors of Harrogate Ltd.

Originally known as The Burmah Oil Company Ltd., Burmah Castrol PLC is the oldest oil enterprise in the United Kingdom.

The British company Marconi plc had been known as The General Electric Co.

Whittard of Chelsea Plc appears finally to have found the right blend for its growing chain of tea and coffee shops.

By the mid-1990s, however, Grant had been confronted with the rapid consolidation of the global drinks industry, which…

Wolseley plc has quietly built itself an empire as the world's leading distributor of building materials to…

Ticker Symbols: ANTO.L; ANFGY NAIC: 482111 Line-Haul Railroads; 212221 Gold Ore Mining; 212234 Copper Ore and Nickel…

Raleigh UK Ltd.

Harrods Holdings represents one of the most prestigious names in shopping history, operating the famed Harrods…

Whitbread PLC is one of the leading players in the U.K.

Stock Index: London New York Paris Frankfurt Brussels Zürich Luxembourg Vienna The Royal Dutch/Shell Group forms one of…

The Wolverhampton & Dudley Breweries, PLC, popularly known as Wolves, is the United Kingdom's largest integrated…

1581: Humphrey Langridge operates the Ram Brewery.

Babcock International Group PLC is one of the world's leading support services groups.

Ticker Symbols: JMPLY (OTC); JMAT (London) NAIC: 325188 All Other Basic Inorganic Chemical Manufacturing (pt); 325411…

Marks and Spencer p.l.c.

Pilkington plc is one of the largest glassmakers in the world, specializing in the flat glass and safety glass sectors.

SABMiller plc ranks as the world's second largest brewer in terms of volume, trailing only Anheuser-Busch Companies,…

Total Assets: £443.36 billion ($788.51 billion) (2003) Stock Exchanges: London New York Tokyo Ticker Symbol: BCS NAIC:…

Although the smallest of the United Kingdom's top supermarket groups, Budgens Ltd.

The world's largest commercial banknote printer and banknote paper manufacturer, De La Rue plc has a presence in…

Gallaher Group Plc is the second largest tobacco company in the United Kingdom, with manufacturing operations…

Stock Index: London New York Lucas Industries's automotive division, the basis of the company's activities since before…

Since the mid-1990s, Pearson plc has transformed itself from a industrial holding company with a large and sometimes…

Ranks Hovis McDougall Limited (RHM) is the food division of Tomkins PLC, which acquired the company (then known as…

Wm.

Booker Cash & Carry Ltd.

Born out of the early 20th-century mergers of three companies, GKN plc has evolved into a global industrial giant…

1960s:Hazlewood enters a slump.

Lafarge Cement UK, formerly Blue Circle Industries PLC, became in 2001 the U.K.

Imperial Tobacco Group PLC is the United Kingdom's leading tobacco company, with extensive international operations:…

Symbol: BATS (London), BTI (AMEX) NAIC: 312229 Other Tobacco Product Manufacturing; 111910 Tobacco Farming; 551112…

Tarmac plc is one of the leading heavy building materials and construction services groups in Europe, with additional…

AG Barr plc is the United Kingdom's leading focused soft drinks manufacturer and maker of the world-famous Irn Bru.

Unlike most of its competitors, Land Securities PLC has achieved and maintained its position as the United Kingdom's…

After more than 150 years as a retailer, John Menzies plc (Menzies is pronounced 'Mingus') has redefined its role for…

One of the oldest names in motorcycle manufacturing, Triumph Motorcycles Ltd.

Specialty chemicals producer Elementis plc holds world-leading positions in three areas: chromium chemicals, which are…

Lookers plc is one of the United Kingdom's top five new and used car dealers.

Alvis Plc has weathered the odds to become a candidate for the position as the United Kingdom's sole surviving armored…

Based in London, Kingfisher plc is a major European retailing and property group.

Lonmin plc--formerly known as Lonrho plc--is the third-largest platinum producer in the world.

1970s:Adds four-star Selfridge Hotel and Food Hall.

Enodis plc is a leading manufacturer of commercial kitchen equipment.

Rexam PLC is one of the world's ten largest consumer packaging companies.

Stock Index: London STC, formerly Standard Telephones and Cables, is Britain's second-largest electronics group, a…

The United Kingdom's Molins plc has been adjusting to the post-tobacco world.

Stock Index: London No chain of shops in Great Britain bears the name of Sears, but the company operates 3,800 shops…

From tiny regional bus company to a growing presence on the European urban transport scene, The Go-Ahead Group Plc is…

Stock Index: London New York Redland is a building-materials company whose principal activities are concrete roof…

Once nicknamed 'Widget plc'--because of its myriad of low-margin, high-volume commodity products, such as the plastic…

Arcadia Group plc, previously known as Burton Group plc, is the second largest clothing retailer in the United Kingdom,…

GUS plc, formerly the Great Universal Stores plc, is one of the leading retailers in the United Kingdom and also is a…

Early 1980s:United Newspapers makes its first major U.S.

English China Clays Ltd.

English China Clays plc (formerly known as ECC Group plc) is perhaps best known as the world's largest producer of…

George Wimpey plc ranks among the world's oldest and largest private construction concerns, with operations in the…

FKI Plc has evolved into one of the United Kingdom's major engineering groups.

With over 150 years of experience under its belt, John Laing plc operates with two main divisions--the Laing Homes…

Total Assets: £45.88 billion (US$76.16 billion) (1996) Stock Exchanges: London Ticker Symbol: LGGNY SICs: 6082 Foreign…

Seddon Group Ltd.

Singer & Friedlander Group plc is one of the United Kingdom's last remaining independent merchant banks, providing…

Slough Estates PLC is Britain's largest industrial property investment company, with a property portfolio valued at…

The Albert Fisher Group plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading fresh, chilled, and frozen foods groups, operating…

Amey Plc has tried on a new hat for the 21st century.

Taylor Woodrow plc is a major U.K.-based home builder and property developer and lessor.

1960s:The company opens its 200th retail store.

Supermarkets, hypermarkets, and other grocery outlets clustered tightly in the south of England form the nucleus of…

Blacks Leisure Group plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading retail sportswear and sporting goods groups and is that…

The United Kingdom's Bodycote International PLC is the world's leading provider of metallurgical services to the steel,…

Croda International Plc is the world's leading specialist manufacturer of oleo-chemical ingredients and products for…

1940s:Both British Ratin and Rentokil begin offering insect control services.

Stock Index: London Plessey is one of Britain's largest electronics manufacturers.

Tomkins plc is a multinational engineering and manufacturing group, overseeing three major business groups: Air Systems…

Imperial Chemical Industries PLC (ICI) has gone from being the premier chemical-manufacturing company of Great Britain…

The Tussauds Group is more than just its famous Madame Tussaud's attraction.

Cattles plc is one of the United Kingdom's top providers of small loans and related financial services through a…

As a provider of telecommunications services in more than 50 countries around the globe, Cable and Wireless plc is a…

Serco Group plc provides facilities management and other engineering services for a variety of governmental and…

RMC Group p.l.c.

Scottish & Newcastle plc is the United Kingdom's largest brewer.

Stock Index: London Toronto Sydney Frankfurt The Hammerson Property Investment and Development Corporation plc,…

Viridian Group plc is the holding company that controls Northern Ireland Electricity (NIE), which provides electricity…

Late 1970s:As part of an extensive reorganization program, Tesco closes 500 stores.

Privately held, family-controlled (and some say ultra-secretive) Weetabix Limited is one of the United Kingdom's…

Courts Plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading retail furniture and home appliance companies.

London Regional Transport, more generally known as London Transport (LT), has a statutory duty in the United Kingdom to…

Ticker: FRG NAIC: 336411 Aircraft Manufacturing; 336413 Other Aircraft Parts & Auxiliary Equipment Manufacturing; 54171…

Granada Group PLC is a leading U.K.

Martin-Baker Aircraft Company Limited is the world's leading producer of ejection seats.

With high-ranking positions in several categories of foodstuffs, Associated British Foods plc (ABF) stands as one of…

1940s:Company begins produce imports.

Stock Index: London Hawker Siddeley is one of Britain's largest engineering groups, along with British Aerospace and…

Bowthorpe plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading suppliers of diversified electronics products, with an increasing…

London Scottish Bank plc (LSB) is one of the United Kingdom's leading providers of credit to the "sub-prime"…

Dixons Group plc is the largest specialized retailer of consumer electronics in Europe and controls more than 1,250…

Electrocomponents PLC sits in the top tier of U.K.

The Rank Group plc operates as a leading international gaming, leisure, and entertainment group.

Arriva PLC is one of Europe's leading and fastest-growing publicly traded transportation companies.

British Midland plc, the second largest airline in the United Kingdom, flies more than six million passengers a year to…

WS Atkins Plc is one of the world's leading suppliers of consultancy and related support services with an emphasis on…

William Hill Organization Limited is the United Kingdom's second largest betting shop owner, with more than 1,500…

Ticker Symbols: BNZL (London); BNL (New York) NAIC: 42213 Industrial and Personal Service Paper Wholesalers; 42261…

DS Smith Plc has wrapped up leading European positions in its two primary lines of business: packaging (paper-based and…

Total Assets: £204.4 billion ($291.92 billion) (2000) Stock Exchanges: London Ticker Symbol: ANL NAIC: 52211 Commercial…

Late 19th century:Callender's Cable and Construction Co.

1950s:Kenneth Bell joins the company; Bell begins expansion beyond Newcastle.

British World Airlines Ltd.

Stock Index: London MEPC is the United Kingdom's second-largest property company and one of the largest property…

England's Ashtead Group plc is a leading provider of non-manned equipment rental services with operations primarily in…

EMAP plc is a world-leading publisher of specialty and business-to-business magazines, with such titles as FHM, Smash…

From obscure origins, Meggitt PLC has grown into a global aerospace supplier.

Walkers Snack Foods Ltd., a unit of PepsiCo, Inc., is the United Kingdom's leading manufacturer of crisps, or potato…

ASDA Group Ltd.

Northern Foods plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading manufacturers of high-quality fresh foods, supplying the…

Ticker Symbols: SIG; SIGY NAIC: 448310 Jewelry Stores Signet Group PLC is the world's leading retail jewelry specialist.

Stock Index: London Racal Electronics PLC is a multinational manufacturer and service provider in telecommunications,…

By then, Spirax-Sarco had been forced to overcome a bump in the late 1990s, after the company shut down its Allentown…

Bristow Helicopters Ltd.

1960s:Company undertakes foreign expansion into Australian, New Zealand, and U.S.

Cazenove Group plc is one of the United Kingdom's oldest and most venerable investment bankers, providing capital…

Laura Ashley Holdings plc is an international designer and retailer of clothing and home furnishings.

Despite an attempt by Novara's management to take over the company through a management buyout, Novara's shareholders…

SIG plc is one of the world's leading wholesale suppliers of insulation, roofing, and commercial interior products,…

Scottish Media Group plc is one of the largest cross-platform media companies serving Scotland.

Dyson Group PLC is engineering a transformation for the mid-2000s.

Inchcape PLC, a company with more than a 150-year history--starting as a shipping and trading firm and evolving into a…

Based in Liverpool, Stanley Leisure plc is the United Kingdom's largest casino operator and fourth-largest operator of…

Fast-moving Tibbett & Britten Group plc is one of the world's leading logistics companies offering warehousing,…

Ulster Television PLC (known as the less politically sensitive UTV) is Northern Ireland's leading television…

Unigate PLC is a leading European fresh foods, dairy, and distribution company.

Based in Glasgow, Scotland, Devro plc is the world's largest supplier of collagen products to the food industry.

Haynes Publishing Group P.L.C.

Ticker Symbols: ALDCY NAIC: 551112 Offices of Other Holding Companies; 31214 Distilleries; 31213 Wineries; 722213 Snack…

Brake Bros plc is one of Britain's leading food suppliers to caterers in the United Kingdom and France, with designs on…

Total Assets: EUR 413.4 billion ($424.5 billion)(2002) NAIC: 523110 Investment Banking and Securities Dealing; 523999…

Aggreko Plc is the world's largest "temporary utility" company.

Loganair Ltd., known as "Scotland's Airline," provides remote island communities in the region with a commercial…

An estimated 79 percent of Rio Tinto PLC's assets are in Australia, New Zealand, and North America, with the rest…

Total Assets: £32.2 billion ($56.64 billion) (2003) Stock Exchanges: London Ticker Symbol: BBG NAIC: 522292 Real Estate…

Hanson PLC is an international building materials company with three principal operations.

Maxwell Communication Corporation plc (MCC) was formerly one of the world's ten largest media groups, with interests in…

St Ives plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading commercial printers and that country's leading printer of financial…

Fast-growing Hays Plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading business services groups with more than 60 business units…

British Vita plc manufactures and processes a wide assortment of polymers, including cellular foams, synthetic fiber…

Vosper Thornycroft Holding plc is one of the world's major builders of warships and other marine ships, and the…

Conceived as a single brewery in the late 18th century, Bass PLC was in the process of a historic transition at the…

British Steel plc is the third largest steel producer in the world and the largest steel producer in Europe.

Ticker Symbols: CS (London, Amsterdam); CGA (New York) NAIC: 331111 Iron and Steel Mills Early 1980s:Hoogovens…

c.

1970s-80s:Company experiences success with Tull, Blondie, Billy Idol, and other recording artists.

Clinton Cards plc operates the United Kingdom's largest chain of retail greeting card specialty shops.

Company Persepctives: 1988 ...

Total Assets: £22 billion ($36.5 billion) (1998 est.) NAIC: 524113 Direct Life Insurance Carriers; 524114 Direct Health…

A division of Reed Elsevier, the world's second largest publisher (created in 1993 when Reed International merged with…

Assets: & pound;98.64 billion (US$178.4 billion) Stock Index: London New York Tokyo National Westminster Bank (NatWest)…

Rotork plc is the world's leading manufacturer of valve actuators--devices that provide remote control of valves for…

Time Out Group Ltd.

Birthdays Ltd.

Ticker Symbols: CBRY (London); CSG (NYSE) NAIC: 311320 Chocolate and Confectionery Manufacturing from Cacao Beans;…

Company Perpectives: Whether it shocks you or amuses you, fcuk certainly makes you think.

London-based Logica plc provides information technology services, including management consulting, software…

The United Kingdom's New Look Group plc is helping people dress smart for cheap.

The Post Office, the largest carrier of mail and parcels in the United Kingdom, is organized as a group with three…

Total Assets: £68.59 billion ($102.2 billion) Stock Exchanges: London Ticker Symbol: STAN NAIC: 522110 Commercial…

1960s:Alan and Frank Sytner begin selling automobiles as Frank Sytner begins his racing career.

Stock Exchange: London Trusthouse Forte (THF) owns and operates a wide range of hotels and eating establishments around…

Based in north Wales, The Big Food Group plc (BFG) is one of the United Kingdom's leading food distributors.

The Mersey Docks and Harbour Company is the United Kingdom's second largest port operator, controlling the Port of…

JJB Sports plc is in the big leagues of U.K.

Gross Billings: £20.8 billion (2001) Stock Exchanges: London NASDAQ Ticker Symbol: WPP NAIC: 541810 Advertising…

Benfield Greig Group plc is the world's third-largest reinsurance company, behind leaders Aon and Marsh & McClellan…

London-based Capital Radio plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading radio and media groups.

Dennis Publishing Ltd.

Having escaped a hostile takeover attempt by larger rival Airtour Plc, and at the same time seeing the collapse of a…

Monsoon plc is a leading women's clothing and accessories retailer in the United Kingdom, operating three retail store…

Renishaw plc is the world's leading manufacturer of test-probe and measurement equipment for Co-ordinate Measuring…

Scottish Radio Holding plc (SRH) is holding steady in the growing consolidation of the United Kingdom's radio industry.

1950s:Stirling Knitting forms as supplier of knitwear to the Marks & Spencer retail group.

England's Cranswick plc has transformed itself from a regional pork and pig feed producer into a diversified company…

Flintshire-based Redrow Group plc is one of the United Kingdom's largest home builders and developers.

Somerfield plc is a major grocery retailer in the United Kingdom, holding about a 7 percent share of the U.K.

Hillsdown Holdings plc is a somewhat obscure holding company for a wide range of food, homebuilding, furniture, and…

Zomba Records Ltd.

Michael Page International plc (MPI) is one of the world's leading recruitment companies.

The Body Shop International plc is one of England's best known retailers of cosmetics and personal care products, with…

The Porcelain and Fine China Companies Ltd.

1980s:Iron Maiden becomes the top U.K.

Considering its current annual sales of £9.4 billion, Safeway PLC has a remarkably short history.

The Really Useful Group is the umbrella corporation over a welter of entertainment and leisure companies that operate…

British Aerospace plc (BAe) is the largest defense contractor in Europe, as well as being a leading aerospace company.

Aegis Group plc is the holding company for the world's largest group of media specialists.

AT&T Istel Ltd.

JD Wetherspoon plc is one of the United Kingdom's largest and fastest growing chains of publican houses (pubs).

Jersey European Airways (UK) Ltd.

Sometimes called the United Kingdom's Microsoft, Misys PLC is at least that country's leading independent information…

Ticker Symbols: PON PSIOF (OTC) NAIC: 334119 Other Computer Peripheral Equipment Manufacturing; 511210 Software…

Stagecoach Holdings plc has ridden the deregulation of the United Kingdom's bus and rail routes to become one of the…

Associated British Ports Holdings Plc (ABPH) is the largest operator of seaports in the United Kingdom.

Fast-growing GWR Group plc is the United Kingdom's leading commercial radio station group--in terms of number of radio…

Initially known as Amersham International PLC, Amersham PLC was formed in 1997 through the merger of Amersham…

Berkshire, United Kingdom-based Esporta plc was formed from the breakup of First Leisure Corporation plc in 1999.

Mercury Communications, Ltd.

Posterscope Worldwide is the world's leading player in the outdoor (also known as the "out of home," or OOH)…

Ronson PLC is the holding company for Ronson International Limited, distributor of Ronson brand lighters and associated…

TI Group plc is a holding company for an international specialized engineering group of firms with three core business…

Carlton Communications PLC has thrived for more than a decade in the cramped, highly regulated waters of the British…

Enterprise Oil PLC is the largest independent oil exploration and production company in the United Kingdom, competing…

Ticker Symbols: BTA (London); BTY (New York) NAIC: 513310 Wired Telecommunications Carriers; 513322 Cellular and Other…

Capita Group PLC is the leading business process outsourcing services provider in the United Kingdom, a market the…

Greggs PLC is the operator of the largest bakery chain in the United Kingdom, specializing in sandwiches, savories, and…

Matalan PLC is the fastest growing retailer in the United Kingdom with more than 120 stores that market High Street…

Novar plc is a U.K.-based corporation consisting of three primary business segments: security systems, aluminum product…

The Hartstone Group plc is a leading manufacturer in the international leathergoods and hosiery markets, supplying…

Sales £7.87 billion (US$12.55 billion) (2000) Stock Exchanges: London New York Ticker Symbols: VOD.L; VOD NAIC:513322…

Chelsfield PLC is one of the United Kingdom's major property development groups.

The Eurotunnel Group includes Eurotunnel plc, which, through its Eurotunnel subsidiaries, was established to design,…

Total Assets: £2.49 billion ($4.2 billion) (2002) NAIC: 522292 Real Estate Credit; 522120 Savings Institutions One of…

Woking-based SFI Group plc is one of the United Kingdom's fastest-growing operators of drinking and eating…

With its British Home Stores (Bhs) and Mothercare chains, Storehouse PLC ranks among the United Kingdom's top ten…

BAA plc is a holding company for the world's largest organization of airports.

London landmark Canary Wharf has seen its share of ups and downs.

As the world's largest foodservice company, Compass Group PLC is aptly named.

Dairy Crest Group plc, the dairy products processing arm of the former British Milk Marketing Board milk monopoly, has…

London-based Davis Service Group PLC operates in three primary areas: Textile Maintenance, Tool Hire, and Building…

Luminar Plc is the United Kingdom's leading nightclub owner and operator, with more than 250 nightclubs, bars, and…

Ottakar's plc is one of the United Kingdom's largest and fastest-growing retail booksellers.

One of the United Kingdom's top home builders, Wilson Bowden Plc has targeted the upper end of the housing market,…

With nearly 17 million viewers, digital satellite television operator British Sky Broadcasting Group plc, better known…

Kelda Group plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading water services and wastewater management companies.

If you have ever used public transportation in the United Kingdom or Australia, or ridden on a school bus in the United…

Tiger Aspect Productions Ltd.

Fast-growing Travis Perkins plc ranks as one of the top three building materials retailers in the United Kingdom,…

Glotel plc provides a full range of recruitment services, meeting temporary and permanent staffing requirements, as…

Up and comer HIT Entertainment PLC (the HIT originally stood for Henson International Television) wants to be the…

Many-headed Hyder (the Welsh word for confidence; rhymes with rudder) plc provides integrated water, electricity, and…

Pennon Group Plc is a holding company for two primary subsidiaries: South West Water Limited, which provides water…

Powergen PLC is a leading integrated gas and electric company created from the breakup of the nationalized electricity…

Scottish and Southern Energy plc (SSE) operates as one of the largest energy concerns in the United Kingdom.

As the fourth largest non-government-owned water company in the world, Severn Trent PLC supplies water and sewerage…

Thames Water is the largest of the United Kingdom's privatized water industries, providing some 7 million customers…

United Utilities PLC is a pioneering "multi-utility" group combining operations in water supply and electric power…

Late 1990s:Company undergoes major reorganization while the Agnelli family assumes a 40 percent ownership position.

In the meantime, Enterprise immediately returned to the acquisition trail in April 2002, paying Morgan Grenfell £875…

Ticker Symbols: CTM.L COLT NAIC: 513310 Wired Telecommunications Carriers Since it was founded in 1992 in the City of…

SDL PLC is one of the world's leading localization services providers to businesses seeking a global market presence.

Energis plc is a leading provider of telecommunications and e-commerce solutions to the business market in the United…

NTL Inc., based in London but registered in the United States and listed on the NASDAQ, has survived the global telecom…

Inter Link Foods PLC is the rising star of the British baking industry.

Bolton, England-based (but Netherlands registered) Anker BV has transformed itself into a leading supplier of…

In less than a decade, Millennium & Copthorne Hotels plc (MCH) has built one of the Asian region's largest hotel groups…

In less than five years, Newsquest plc has risen to become England's largest regional newspaper publisher and the third…

Thistle Hotels PLC is the fourth largest U.K.

British Energy Plc, in addition to being the United Kingdom's largest power generator (by producing more than 20…

EMI Group plc is the fourth largest of the world's "big six" music giants.

Total Assets: £59.95 billion ($96.49 billion) (2002) Stock Exchanges: London Ticker Symbol: RSA NAIC: 524126 Direct…

Thorn plc is an international rental and rent-to-own group whose various chains rent electronics, personal computers,…

Total Assets: $7.33 billion (2003) Stock Exchanges: London New York Ticker Symbol: AVZ NAIC: 523920 Portfolio…

Aston Villa plc is the publicly listed company governing the activities of England's Aston Villa Football Club and the…

Caffè Nero Group PLC ranks as one of the three largest operators of espresso shops in the United Kingdom, trailing…

Centrica plc is the largest gas supplier in the United Kingdom, serving 16 million households, and a growing force in…

Diageo plc is a world leader in branded food and drinks.

Punch Taverns plc has worked its way to the top of the United Kingdom's pub market.

London-based Taylor Nelson Sofres plc is the world's fourth largest market research specialist, with 150 offices in…

Alldays plc is one of the United Kingdom's leading operators of convenience stores.

Formed by the 1998 merger of British Petroleum Company and Amoco Corporation, BP p.l.c.

Informa Group plc assembles and sells specialized information in six broad business sectors: finance and insurance;…

Anglo-American group Aggregate Industries plc is a leading producer of aggregates, stone and paving products and…

Anglo American PLC is considered the world's largest gold-mining organization.

AstraZeneca PLC is one of the world's leading pharmaceutical companies.

Avecia Group PLC is in the process of redefining itself as a focused specialty and fine chemicals group.

SSL International plc is one of the United Kingdom's major healthcare companies.

Trinity Mirror plc is the largest newspaper publisher in the United Kingdom, with more than 250 regional and national…

The product of multiple mergers, Aviva PLC is the United Kingdom's largest insurance and financial services group and…

Chubb, PLC is among the world's five largest providers of security services to businesses and governments.

International Power PLC is the largest of the three main electricity-generating companies created from the breakup of…

1880s:Whitbread begins acquiring its first "tied houses," pubs owned by the brewer and selling its products.

1950s:Wincanton begins milk distribution operations for the Milk Marketing Board.

1980s:Le Riche debuts the Stampers convenience store format.

Mitchells & Butlers PLC is one of the United Kingdom's largest operators of managed pubs, with more than 2,000 drinking…